Diep River meteorite, City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Western Cape, South Africai
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Diep River meteorite | Meteorite Fall Location |
| City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality | City |
| Western Cape | Province |
| South Africa | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
33° 45' South , 18° 34' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Locality type:
Meteorite Class:
Meteoritical Society Class:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset Beach | 2,000 (2016) | 13.4km |
| Kraaifontein | 57,911 (2013) | 17.7km |
| Atlantis | 60,266 (2012) | 21.8km |
| Cape Town | 3,433,441 (2016) | 23.6km |
| Rosebank | 10,000 (2018) | 24.4km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Town Gem & Mineral Club | Bothasig, Cape Town, Western Cape | 12km |
Ordinary chondrite (L6)
Fell, 4 November 1906, 16:30 hrs; ~ 1 kg
A meteorite fell on Farm Heritage, also known as the Constantia fall. Observations reveal rounded and angular multi-colored fragments (up to ~3-4 mm diameter) within a relatively well-equilibrated, somewhat grayish and even greenish matrix. Chondrules are present, but usually indistinct. Fe-Ni metal and troilite are present normally as very small grains. Total iron content (21.5 wt%) as well as olivine (Fa25) and low Ca-orthopyroxene ('hypersthene') compositions are characteristic of the L-chondrite geochemical group. Mineralogically, the meteorite consists primarily of olivine and orthopyroxene with troilite, Fe-Ni metal, and — presumably — plagioclase. Accessory chromite, copper, ilmenite, and minor sulfides have been reported.
A Pb,Th:He gas release age of 1.44 Ga is a likely indicator of one or more major post-formational collisions.
The L-group of ordinary chondrites (relatively low in total iron) are the largest group of classified witnessed meteorite falls and account for ~45% of all well-classified meteorite falls. The L6 petrologic type accounts for ~ 70% of the group. Currently, 272 meteorite falls have been classified exactly as 'L6' chondrites [June 2017].
The main mass has been kept at the South African Museum in Cape Town.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
7 valid minerals.
Meteorite/Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Chromite Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2O4 Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Copper Formula: Cu Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series' Description: Olivine composition (Fa25) characteristic of the L-group ordinary chondrites. Reference: Mason, B. (1963) Olivine in ordinary chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 27(9): 1011-1023. (Sept 1963).; Graham, A. L., Bevan, A. W. R. & Hutchison, B. (1985) Catalogue of Meteorites (4/e). University of Arizona Press: Tucson. |
| ⓘ Ilmenite Formula: Fe2+TiO3 Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Iron Formula: Fe Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite Formula: (Fe,Ni) Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Isocubanite Formula: CuFe2S3 Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup' Description: Abundant Ca-poor orthopyroxene ('hypersthene') characteristic of well-equilibrated group-L ordinary chondrites. Reference: Graham, A. L., Bevan, A. W. R. & Hutchison, B. (1985) Catalogue of Meteorites (4/e). University of Arizona Press: Tucson. |
| ⓘ Taenite Formula: (Fe,Ni) Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Troilite Formula: FeS Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
| ⓘ | Iron | 1.AE.05 | Fe |
| ⓘ | var. Kamacite | 1.AE.05 | (Fe,Ni) |
| ⓘ | Taenite | 1.AE.10 | (Fe,Ni) |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Isocubanite | 2.CB.55b | CuFe2S3 |
| ⓘ | Troilite | 2.CC.10 | FeS |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Chromite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Cr3+2O4 |
| ⓘ | Ilmenite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2+TiO3 |
| Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc. | |||
| ⓘ | 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| O | Oxygen | |
|---|---|---|
| O | ⓘ Chromite | Fe2+Cr23+O4 |
| O | ⓘ Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Isocubanite | CuFe2S3 |
| S | ⓘ Troilite | FeS |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| Cr | Chromium | |
| Cr | ⓘ Chromite | Fe2+Cr23+O4 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Chromite | Fe2+Cr23+O4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Isocubanite | CuFe2S3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite | (Fe,Ni) |
| Fe | ⓘ Taenite | (Fe,Ni) |
| Fe | ⓘ Troilite | FeS |
| Fe | ⓘ Iron | Fe |
| Ni | Nickel | |
| Ni | ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite | (Fe,Ni) |
| Ni | ⓘ Taenite | (Fe,Ni) |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Copper | Cu |
| Cu | ⓘ Isocubanite | CuFe2S3 |
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)Mason, B. (1963) Olivine in ordinary chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 27(9): 1011-1023. (Sept 1963).
Von Michaelis, H., Ahrens, L.H. & Willis, J.P. (1968) The composition of stony meteorites II. The analytical data and an assessment of their quality: Earth and Planetary Science Letters 5:387-394.
Ramdohr, P. (1973) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages.
Graham, A. L., Bevan, A. W. R. & Hutchison, B. (1985) Catalogue of Meteorites (4/e). University of Arizona Press: Tucson.
Grady, M.M (2000). Catalogue of Meteorites (5/e). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge; New York; Oakleigh; Madrid; Cape Town. 689 pages.
External Links
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php - MeteoriticalBulletinDatabase
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=7642 -Diep River@MetBullDatabase
http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/test/DiepRiver_don_edwards.JPG -Diep River fragment
http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/test/7642_24733_2704.jpg -Diep River piece (close up)
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=7642 -Diep River@MetBullDatabase
http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/test/DiepRiver_don_edwards.JPG -Diep River fragment
http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/test/7642_24733_2704.jpg -Diep River piece (close up)
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
African PlateTectonic Plate
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